VibramMen's Men's V-Aqua Black Athletic Shoe, Black, 45 EU/11.0-11.5 M US D EU (45 EU/11.0-11.5 US US)

This is the 5th pair of shoes that I had ordered during my mission to find the perfect river shoes for kayaking and other water activities. Initially I was looking in the $25-$40 range. I tried two pairs of strappy sandalls and two pairs of mesh river shoes with toe indentations.I was hoping I could find a cheaper alternative to the Vibrams that I knew were great but I had no such luck. All four of the previous pairs that I received had issues with fit and comfort so I ended up returning them all.Folks, this is it. These shoes are amazing. I know the price tag is a bit steep but you get what you pay for. I usually wear size 11 shoes but I knew that I wanted these to be snug and read reviews which recommended sizing down so I went with the 9.5-10 size and ooooh baby, they fit like a glove. There is no uncomfortable rubbing anywhere, especially on the back of the ankle which is a concern that I had. I even got a bad abrasion on my small toe from going for a walk in my vans without socks. This happened the day that these Vibrams arrived and I was worried that my toe going into the toe pocket would rub on it as I walked and cause me pain but I don't even notice it. they are seriously comfortable.Some reviewers have mentioned the ankle strap not having enough velcro to tighten them to their liking and I agree that it could be extended just a little more but the strap that goes over the foot is plenty to secure the shoe. I put this to the test. During my first kayak outing my friend and I stopped at the side of the river and when we stepped out of our boats we immediately sank shin deep into the mud. Alarm bells immediately went off in my head because I had read reviews about the shoes being insecure and coming off. I didn't want to lose one of my brand new shoes but I had no choice. I had to get my foot unstuck. Well I finally got my foot free of the mud and the shoe didn't budge at all I walked in the mud a bit more and felt totally confident that the shoes were secure.I also read a review about concerns of the black shoes getting too hot. I don't know where that person lives or how hot it is but I have gone on multiple 20-30 minute walks on paved trails in 95-100 degree weather and they get a little warm but nowhere close to the point of being unable to wear them. Maybe they just have sensitive feet.The only question remaining is whether they will hold up over time. I saw some reviews that concerned me but as I said I have owned Vibrams before and they endured a lot of abuse before finally biting the dust (probably due to my own negligence) so I am optimistic that if I take care of these they are going to last.TLDR: Buy once, cry once. Shell out the extra money for these over a cheaper alternative. Order one size down. You won't be disappointed.

Excellent five toe shoe with the durable Vibram sole!

Fantastic shoe.I used these as boat/water shoes for a vacation and absolutely fell in love with them.I also walked A LOT in them, which they don’t advise you to do without giving yourself a grace period to gradually get used to them.The long and short of it is that they definitely take a little getting used to but once you do get used to them, normal shoes will feel totally wrong.I definitely wouldn’t recommend these for use as your main walking shoes because they’re very, very thin and offer minimal support. Vibram has other offerings that cater to that purpose much better.As far as shoes for doing stuff in and around the water, I couldn’t have asked for much better. If you’re even considering them you’re probably the type of person that would enjoy them and would enjoy telling people that despite how weird they look they are extremely comfortable and feel natural.My only criticism is that the Velcro straps on these shoes aren’t really fit for purpose. They’re really long and the Velcro bits are on the end, like they’re made for someone with a really bulky foot. I’m going to fix that myself by cutting the straps shorter and supergluing the Velcro pieces where I’d like.

I was largely satisfied with this purchase. They fit on relatively snug and they let water go through so your feet won’t just be wet. I did have to get use to spreading out my toes a certain way to get each toe in, but it wasn’t too bad. My only issues with these were 1. On trails/ rocky terrain there is not enough padding to support your feet and 2. The ankle straps seemed too long and didn’t tighten very well.

Really comfortable and rugged at the same time...my feet love them lol

I got these shoes for indoor casual wear. The thought was that these would be breathable and lightweight enough for extended wear. I have been very pleased with them. I wear toe socks with these and even then my feet do not overheat. At first the shoes were a little stiff, but after a few days and some practice juggling a soccer ball, it quickly broken in and became stretchy, to the point of almost being sock like. In fact, these are my second pair. I got the grey ones first and loved them so much I didn't want to go a day without wearing them. Unfortunately these things need to be washed so I got a second pair to switch off with. Wash them on cold, gentle, and hang dry. Enjoy

A saw a few reviewers mention the shoes can fit a bit loose and recommended sizing down so, normally being a size 11, I bought size 10.5-11 but found them too tight. My toe was jammed into the end of the shoe and I could not completely straighten my foot. I returned these for size 11-11.5 and they fit very well and have served their purpose nicely.

This is great footwear as water shoes. Wearing it around while walking on land felt very natural and it was versatile while walk in water. Made the experience feel very natural. Sadly the only reason I had to return it is because it didn’t fit true to size for me. I bought it using my regular shoe size and it definitely felt very tight, to the point it felt uncomfortable between my toes. If I purchased this again I would go a half size up if it’s available.